49ers, Bears linebackers set standard

What’s the NFL’s best inside-linebacker tandem: San Francisco’s Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, or Chicago’s Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher?

The duos will get a chance to make their respective case on a national stage Monday night when the Bears visit Candlestick Park for a showdown that could be dominated by defense, particularly with both starting quarterbacks coming off concussions.

On a conference call with the Bay Area media Thursday, Briggs was posed this question: How do you react when you read that Willis and Bowman are the two best inside linebackers in the NFL?

“It doesn’t change the way I play,” Briggs said. “It doesn’t change the way we play over here. That’s a ranking. The thing about a ranking – a ranking doesn’t mean anything if you don’t get to that Super Bowl. That’s the goal, to get to that Super Bowl.”

But Briggs wasn’t done. And, after offering the proper praise to Willis and Bowman (average age: 25), he cited some stats noting what he and Urlacher (average age: 33) have accomplished in their careers.

The implicit message: Let’s see if Willis and Bowman can do it for a decade.

“Those are great ‘backers,” Briggs said of San Francisco’s tandem. “I’ve watched them on film. Patrick, I’ve been to the Pro Bowl with him. NaVorro Bowman, he’s on his way. But the way I look at it is over here, we’ve got 15 Pro Bowls between the two of us and probably about eight All-Pros. We’ll let that decide for itself.”

Briggs and Urlacher do, indeed, have 15 Pro Bowl berths, and they’ve been named first-team All-Pro five times. Willis and Bowman have five Pro Bowl berths (all by Willis) and have been named first-team All-Pro five times.

Last year seemed to signal a changing of the guard when Willis and Bowman, in his first year as a starter, were named first-team All-Pros.

This season, however, Briggs and Urlacher have headlined a defense that leads the NFL with 30 takeaways. Chicago became the first team in league history to return seven interceptions for touchdowns in a season’s first eight games. Urlacher and Briggs have combined for three of those scores.

This season, Chicago’s tandem has combined for 101 tackles, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, three interceptions and one sack. The totals for Willis and Bowman: 152 tackles, 11 passes defensed, two interceptions, two sacks and one forced fumble.

Smith back in black: For the second straight day, quarterback Alex Smith (concussion) practiced in a black, non-contact jersey, a designation he’s noted is “redundant” since quarterbacks aren’t hit in practice, regardless of their health status. Smith was officially listed as limited in practice, but appears to be on track to play Monday.

Meanwhile, Chicago’s Jay Cutler (concussion) did not participate in the Bears’ first practice of the week.